U.N. inspectors stopped from verifying Iran’s uranium stockpile since June

Inspectors at the International Atomic Energy Agency have not been granted access to Iran’s damaged nuclear enrichment sites since June, according to a confidential report circulated to member nations. 

The U.N.’s nuclear watchdog has had access to only 13 sites that were unaffected by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes launched during the 12-day war in June, according to the report first reported by The Associated Press.

The IAEA’s lack of access means the agency has lost the “continuity of knowledge” of Iran’s uranium stockpile and has been unable to confirm the amount and enrichment level of Tehran’s uranium. Recent estimates have placed Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium at 60% purity at 970 pounds. 

The IAEA says Iran’s current level of enrichment is only a few steps away from weapons-grade and, with its current stockpile, Tehran could create at least 10 nuclear weapons. 

Iran’s Parliament passed a law that suspended cooperation with the IAEA following the June war, with some in Tehran accusing the agency of giving Israel justification to attack Iran.

Iran inked a framework in September to restart nuclear inspections with the IAEA slowly, but the reinstatement of harsh U.N. Security Council sanctions led Tehran to renounce the deal. 

Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes and that it is not seeking atomic weapons. As a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran must submit to regular independent inspections and must provide a detailed report on the status of bombed enrichment facilities. The IAEA says Iran has failed to do both since the June war. 

The report comes as the IAEA’s Board of Governors prepares to meet on Nov. 19 for its final session of the year. Iran’s nuclear program and the status of the Safeguards Agreement are expected to be major subjects at the conference, with IAEA officials looking to press Iran for transparency. 

Iran’s permanent representative at the IAEA met with his Russian and Chinese counterparts and IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi on Tuesday ahead of the meeting. Mr. Grossi has been one of Tehran’s harshest critics since Iran suspended cooperation and has repeatedly called on the Islamic Republic to improve transparency.